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Wednesday, 13 August 2014

The Amber Fort

We passed it on the bus journey to Jaipur, all of us snapping photos out of the windows as we sped past. A dusty looking orange complex of buildings set high up on a hill, overlook a placid lake below. The next day, shepherded back onto our bus, we travelled back to this structure, tour guide in tow and cameras at the ready.This was the Amber For (pronounced Amer Fort). We were offered Elephant rides to the top, which having experienced twice before (Here and here) I wasn't exactly enthused by. Thankfully when everyone else realised the size of the queue we decided to sack off the idea and walk up. Our guide took us around the four sections, stopping to give us information about each one. History and traditions that I have since forgotten. The impressions and feelings conjured whilst visiting places remain while facts and figures are lost to me. Parts of the Fort were beautiful, clever in design and reverent to their spiritual nature. However, I wasn't exactly blown away by the Amber Fort. And especially when compared with the beauty of the Taj Mahal. This fort was build primarily as a military structure, with safety and security as it's purpose. It was never supposed to be a stunning structure set up on the hill. Perhaps I should have listened to the historical commentary more closely, but after the stunning temples and palaces of South East Asia, I guess I had been spoilt into expecting beauty in royal/religious buildings.

The view that women would have been permitted when this was a working palace.